Introduction
Phil Collins at 73: Breaking His Silence and Owning His Story
At 73, legendary musician Phil Collins has finally broken his long silence—and the world is listening. After years of retreating from the spotlight due to serious health complications and personal struggles, Collins is opening up about the toll his career took on his body, his relationships, and his identity.
Known globally for his work with Genesis and his solo hits like In the Air Tonight, Collins stepped away from the stage over a decade ago. The primary reason? A devastating back injury caused by years of drumming, which led to nerve damage in his hands and left him unable to play. Multiple surgeries and chronic pain forced him to perform sitting down, dramatically shifting the energy that once defined his live shows.
But the pain wasn’t just physical. As his health declined, Collins’s personal life began to suffer. His marriages crumbled, and he struggled to stay emotionally present for his children. He described feeling a loss of identity—no longer able to do the one thing that had always defined him: make music.
His decision to retire from touring in 2011 shocked fans, but it was a necessary step. Touring had kept him away from his children, and he wanted to be a father again, not just a performer. And yet, in a defiant move, he returned in 2016 with the aptly named Not Dead Yet tour and later reunited with Genesis in 2020 for The Last Domino? tour, a nostalgic farewell that reaffirmed his enduring legacy.
Now, Collins speaks out not to dwell on the pain, but to reclaim his narrative. In his own words, he wanted to “take control of the story” and thank the fans who stood by him. Though his touring days may be over, Phil Collins isn’t done with music—or with life. He may be aging, but he’s doing so with honesty, grace, and the same quiet strength that’s always defined his art.